The Internet appears to be a good way to deliver structured behavioral weight loss programs, according to a Brown study — the first to examine the use of information technology to aid weight loss.

Dieters who received weekly advice from behavioral therapists on the Internet lost three times as much weight in six months as those who just had access to information about diet and exercise on the Internet — 9 pounds compared to 3 pounds.

Participants in both groups followed the same pattern: They lost weight during the first three months, when they most frequently logged on to the study’s Web site, and they maintained their weight loss during the next three months, when their Internet use declined.

"Logging on more frequently was associated with better weight loss in both groups," said lead researcher Deborah F. Tate, assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior in the Medical School.

"But more importantly than just logging on to a Web site is what type of program you tap into. Our study shows that a structured program with continued contact works better than just giving people access to information online."

Published in the March 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, Tate’s study lays the groundwork for research on the best methods to help people lose weight online.

Ninety-one people ages 18 to 60, who were on average 30 pounds overweight, began the study; 65 participants completed it.

Half were assigned to the "behavior therapy group." They received feedback from a trained therapist through e-mail and had access to an electronic bulletin board for support from their fellow participants, and to information resources about diet and exercise. Half were assigned to the "education group" and had only the Internet information resources about diet and exercise.

Many participants achieved a standard weight-loss benchmark. Forty-five percent of those in the behavior therapy group and 22 percent of those in the education group lost at least 5 percent of their initial body weight — a loss that has been shown to produce measurable health benefits.

Although the weight losses in the study do not appear to rival clinical face-to-face programs, which typically produce 20-pound losses in six months, the Internet may help reach people who otherwise would not participate in those programs, said Tate, who is based at The Miriam Hospital.

"It is especially important to look for new methods to help people with weight loss given that more than 54 percent of U.S. adults are overweight or obese," said Tate. "There are a lot of people who do not choose to attend face-to-face programs for any number of reasons, from embarrassment to schedule constraints. The Internet appears to provide people with an alternative — not necessarily a better alternative, but an alternative."

The Internet combines the ability to disseminate written information with the opportunity to interact through e-mail, bulletin boards or chat rooms. Dieters can also access the Web on their own schedule. Rapid increases in access to the Internet have made it a logical mode for intervention: The number of adults who use the Internet has surged from 9 percent to 56 percent in the past four years, Tate said.

Tate collaborated on the study with Rena R. Wing, professor of psychiatry and human behavior at the Medical School, and Richard A. Winett, professor of psychology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The study was supported by a grant from the Weight Risk Investigators Study Council, a research division of Knoll Pharmaceutical.

There's been a fair amount of discussion regarding "thermogenic" foods. Foods that supposedly abnormally raise the metabolism of the body naturally.

While there's no doubt that a diet high in spicy foods containing substantial capsaicin may increase metabolism as the body adapts to the extra body heat generated, it's unlikely to provide any serious weight loss benefit if the person continues overeating.

Notice many overweight people from Latin countries and the Caribbean. I doubt anyone eats more "thermogenic" foods than they do, yet they remain obese.

One definition: "Thermogenic foods essentially take more energy to process than what they provide, so they help raise your metabolism and burn body fat."

Here are the foods they list:

Here's an article from WebMD for your consideration.

Notice in the experiment that green tea extract was added to their home brewed tea, it wasn't merely home tea alone.

Whether you believe that green helps weight loss or not, it's an excellent phytonutrient source!

By Jennifer Warner
WebMD Medical News

Reviewed By Michael W. Smith, MD

Jan. 26, 2005 -- Need another healthy reason to drink green tea? Aside from fighting heart disease, cancer, and other diseases, a new study shows that drinking green tea may also fight fat.

The study showed that people who drank a bottle of tea fortified with green tea extract every day for three months lost more body fat than those who drank a bottle of regular oolong tea.

Researchers say the results indicate that substances found in green tea known as catechins may trigger weight loss by stimulating the body to burn calories and decreasing body fat.

The findings appear in the January issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Green Tea: Fat Fighter?

Black tea, oolong tea, and green tea come from the same Camellia sinensis plant. But unlike the other two varieties, green tea leaves are not fermented before steaming and drying.

Most teas contain large amounts of polyphenols, which are plant-based substances that have been shown to have antioxidant, anticancer, and antiviral properties.

However, green tea is particularly rich in a type of polyphenols called catechins. These substances have also been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties, but recent research in animals show that catechins may also affect body fat accumulation and cholesterol levels.

In this study, researchers looked at the effects of catechins on body fat reduction and weight loss in a group of 35 Japanese men. The men had similar weights based on their BMI (body mass index, an indicator of body fat) and waist sizes.

The men were divided into two groups. For three months, the first group drank a bottle of oolong tea fortified with green tea extract containing 690 milligrams of catechins, and the other group drank a bottle of oolong tea with 22 milligrams of catechins.

During this time, the men ate identical breakfasts and dinners and were instructed to control their calorie and fat intake at all times so that overall total diets were similar.

After three months, the study showed that the men who drank the green tea extract lost more weight (5.3 pounds vs. 2.9 pounds) and experienced a significantly greater decrease in BMI, waist size, and total body fat.

In addition, LDL "bad" cholesterol went down in the men who drank the green tea extract.

The catechin content varies by amount of green tea used and steeping time. But general recommendations, based on previous studies on the benefits of green tea, are at least 4 cups a day. Green tea extract supplements are also available.

Researchers say the results indicate that catechins in green tea not only help burn calories and lower LDL cholesterol but may also be able to mildly reduce body fat.

"These results suggest that catechins contribute to the prevention of and improvement in various lifestyle-related diseases, particularly obesity," write researcher Tomonori Nagao of Health Care Products Research Laboratories in Tokyo, and colleagues.

SOURCE: Nagao, T. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, January 2005; vol 81: 122-129.